Wednesday, April 6, 2011

七転び八起き (Nana korobi Ya oki)

Hello!

After weeks of head scratching and tinkering, I finally have my computer back home. The empty space on my desk looks like it should once more. Yes, my ability to create art was hindered and my pocketbook is considerably lighter, but those are minor inconveniences compared to what others are going through across the world. I can only be grateful for what I have and for the safety and health of my family.

For the past few weeks, I've been following the disaster in Japan with great sadness. Like most of you, I've watched the waters smashing houses and large boats and cars like toys. I've seen photos of people surveying the damage, their town and their lives unrecognizable. One particular photo that burned in my mind was that of a woman calling out the names of her loved ones, desperate to hear a familiar voice. I imagined myself in her place, calling out the names of my daughters. I could feel her panic, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

But along with the destruction, I have seen videos of children singing at school graduations held in shelters. I've seen them laughing and playing and blowing bubbles. The children offer hope. The Japanese, I believe, are a resilient people. I am not Japanese, but after living there for two years, I feel akin to these people and their culture. This tragedy feels personal to me, and I feel a need to help as much as I can.

To that end, Ces has most generously and graciously teamed up with me to raise funds for Japan. For everyone who makes a $25 donation to the American Red Cross for the Japanese disaster relief fund, we will send the following.

An 8" x 10" print signed by yours truly. This is an image of two young Japanese children painting in one eye of a Daruma Doll. In Japan, the Daruma is a symbol of good luck and perseverance and is inspired by Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk often credited for his Zen teachings. The doll is weighted on the bottom so that it always rights itself rather than toppling over. Because of this, it is often associated with the saying Nana korobi Ya oki, which means, 'Seven times fall down, eight times get up.' Upon acquiring a Daruma Doll, a person will set a goal and paint in one eye. When the goal is achieved, he or she will paint in the other eye. In this image, the young children are setting their goal, and that is to get up once more.

As a thank you, you will also receive an original ACEO (2.5" x 3.5") of a Japanese Blue Oak Acorn (Quercus glauca), exquisitely rendered in pen and ink and signed by Ces. It comes in a handcrafted envelope made of beautiful Japanese decorative paper, along with information about this majestic tree.

But that's not all, folks. Everyone who makes a donation will also be entered into a raffle to receive a larger original 9" x 12" pen and ink drawing of the Japanese Blue Oak on Bristol Board, illustrated and signed by Ces. Isn't it gorgeous?

If you would like to receive the above, please email your receipt for a $25 donation to the American Red Cross (earmarked for the Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund) to bellasinclairdoodler@yahoo.com. The print and ACEO will be shipped to you, free of charge. In addition Ces and I will match each donation received (up to $200 each).

And finally, a fun way to help efforts in Japan is to make origami cranes. For each crane received, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $2 to the Architecture for Humanity's reconstruction efforts in Japan (up to $200,000). The cranes will be woven into an art installation as a gift to the Japanese youth. I've been happily making cranes, and these little guys will be making their way to the Students Rebuild organization soon. To find out more about this effort, please visit Students Rebuild.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this long post. I'm sorry for making my comeback post a plea for donations, but this was important to me. If you have already made a donation, thank you so very, very much. どうもありがとうございます。

Bella ~ so happy you are back! I have missed your beautiful illustrations. Just wondering if you received my e-mail....I was so worried that you had friends and family in Japan. It is heartbreaking. They need so much. I will be donating!

Welcome back Bella, so lovely to see you here again and glad that you have the computer working again.Such wonderful work that you and Ces are doing.Brings you to tears with what is going on over there. We have quite a lot of Japanese people living here and they have been on the streets everyday with their collection buckets and it is good to be able to help out in this way.

Bella, Darling Peep! What a brave undertaking, and I am hoping this effort will keep you VERY busy--grin!I had heard of your idea, and was waiting for your ACTION! And...it seems as though you ARE a person of action.

Bella, I think this is the best way to make a blogging come back!! Yours and Ces's generosity and compassion are amazing and inspiring. I am sure you will be helping many with your brilliance and beautiful hearts!! welcome back, xoxox Karin

Glad to have you back Bella! You and Ces make a wonderful team! Your talent combined with your compassion is heartwarming and inspiring! You and Ces are more beautiful than the art you create. Welcome back! Great way to return ;o)

Dearest Bella, thank you and happy sisterfriend day to you too.We have all been aghast with the terrible happenings in Japan. Not only did they sustain a dreadful earthquake and tsunami but to top it all the, if possible, greater disaster of the radiation which is not a local issue but contaminates the atmosphere and oceans of the whole world. Atmospheres and oceans do not recognise national borders and the aftereffect will be felt the world over for many hundreds of years to come.Both you and Ces are doing such a wonderful thing to help the stoic victims.We too have a connection to Japan as my daughter made costumes for a Japanese dance company and adored the country and polite people.

I know Sir Mark Oliphant was sorry he had ever been involved in splitting the atom that now is threatening to destroy the world through it's peaceful use. Governments are not very honest when it comes to letting the population know of imminent and present dangers from a substance which is invisible. It make my hair stand on end to think that such a reactor is proposed for California, right on the San Andreas fault.

Sorry to be so depressing, my husband started out as a physicist working on a cyclotron and had to wear a radiation monitor on his belt. I won't even have a microwave in the house. Unless you have a Geiger counter you have no idea when it it is leaking.

My school did the crane thing! We all made cranes this week and I even made little tiny ones, about half an inch wide. I think we made about 1700 cranes. It was very fun and tons of people at my school have continued to make cranes after the deadline. I love the doll drawing and the message that goes along with it :)

Thank you to Karin Bartimole. Thank you to my Holly.Thank you to Sue.Thank you to Pam.Thank you to Steve.And I am not going to let my sister get away with "But I already gave through our church." Hahahaha! The church don't have Bella Sinclair art. Hah!Thank you to the next person I am going to meet down the hall who would be thrilled to help.Most of all, thank you Bella Sinclair!!! You are so sweet, so loving, so generous and kind and you made me get off my butt and make a commitment. A great honor to do this with you. TSUP!!!

I am SO SORRY, Bella. There is some great mistake here. I am hesitant to have to tell you this, Oh my...you may never read my blog again...Oh well:

Here goes: YOU, Bella, and YOU, Ces, have got it ass-backwards. You are thanking us Peeps...when it is YOU PEEPS--WE should be thanking, for pushing, allowing, motivating us to participate in ever so small a way, in this campaign.

So, I have written enough here about that--hope I did not offend you or anyone else--Shhhh. hello, ces......!TSUP! and TSUP!

Bella!!! Wow..I am in awe of you and Ces..your compassion and amazing art are so appreciated. I just sent my email to you and Ces. What can I say, but you both inspire, and I am so happy to know you. Thank you so much!! xoxo

I'm so pleased you are up and running, Bella! I missed you.And what you and Ces are doing is wonderful. My heart goes out to the Japanese people.(I made a donation a while back to another organization.)I've read about the origami cranes...will take a look at the webpage. I think what I read about was called 1000 cranes or something like that.

Welcome back Bella!!! I see this has inspired others to join the cause and post art for sale with proceeds going to Japan's needs.Love your doll drawing...most delicate and poignant.Off to get the body mobile....

Ahhh, I've had a computer issue myself so I can completely empathize. I'm so happy you got yours back in working order. I spent days last week reinstalling window and all my programs and files. Yuk, technology is such a blessing and yet such a pain sometimes. I love what you and Ces are doing. Your illustration is wonderful and I am sure both of your contributions will bring lots of donations. I am still dying t-shirts. I was commenting to Ces earlier about how I've become a little obsessed with it. It's so much fun un-tying them to see how they came out.

Dear Bella, that is such an amazingly wonderful thing you and Ces are doing for the people in Japan. With that you help us all to feel a little less powerless, like there's something little we can do to help. I have donated. Let me know what I need to do next... Thank you so much for doing this!! Love, Silke

Thank you for writing to me. I am fine now. i went to see the ear, nose and throat doctor. The doctor did a good job on removing the dead cells of my skin problem.

So, i got to be more careful taking my ears from then.

I was admitted to hospital a few weeks back. And now under medication.

I have read through all your past posts too. I love your sharing in this post too.If I were the mother, I would have the same feel like you and the mother calling out for her children.

Bella, I am glad that you have been back to America. There must be many great memories in Japan....and more adventures to be in your chosen land America too.

When I heard of this tragic, I was very sad and worried of my friends in Japan. Same here, I created two posters to remeber Japan. I know they will find strength again admist tragedy, just like us will find hope again admist some minors or majors setback.

I believe God wants us to continue to trust him in midst of good times or bad times.

No wonder I am getting sick. It is because I have missed my routine of visiting you. See what happens if I miss my daily dose of Bella? I get an illness, what is that called? Bellanemia...yes! Bellanemia - a decrease in the production of endorphins due to lack of visitation at Bella Sinclair's blog. I have Bellanemia so bad!!!

Ugh! I am still in bed in my pajamas. They woke me up with a page before my call started. I never had a chance to wake up properly. No cofee, so I am here languishing but the blinds are open and what a lovely day it is. My son is experimenting - cloning plants - in the garden. Oy! Oy! I need to get up. Okay.Okay, getting up...Really this time...Getting up...I love you! My Bellabloglovin level just increased by 2 milligrams per deciliter!!! I can now get up and move my extremities. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Dear Bella, this is a great think.I tried to donate, but I can´t.Actually I have no credit card, and i have to have one, for the american red cross.And to be true, I am not sure if my english is good enough to understand what i have to do there.Can you leave me a note with the bank datas. I could make an assignment or send it via paypal.However, you are an angel.Happy palmsundayJanine

I stumbled here randomly, and almost did not leave a comment as you already have so many wonderful ones...butI just wanted to say thank you...what you are doingand for the smile you brought to my day.Thank youॐ

Bella, I received your package...I just am in awe of you and Ces, your artistry, humanity and generosity blow me away. I will treasure your illustrations and donate again to Red Cross. Thank you so much!

Oh another thing, my annual evaluation is due on Friday at 4PM and I have not started it yet. I have to do it tomorrow. I am running out of time. I will just give myself a average score, that way, I don't have to elaborate and explain the grade, just meet expectations, not exceed. That's all we have been doing because we won't be getting raises due to the poor economic situation.

Never had a job which allowed self-evaluation. Maybe that's why I broke the harness when I retired--grin! BELLA! You sure have to put up with a lot!!!!! Us Peeps keep adding these comments!PEACE!Steve E

Thank you for the effort in posting this wonderful and very informative articles. I had a lot of fun while reading your post. I learned a lot too. Please keep posting and update your blog always.I am truly grateful. God bless.

I really enjoyed reading your article. I found this as an informative and interesting post, so i think it is very useful and knowledgeable. I would like to thank you for the effort you have made in writing this article.

Mea Culpa

Dilettante Extraordinaire.
I'm an advertiser-turned psychologist-turned stay-at-home mom, caught between yearnings for intellectual stimulation and creative explosion and not being able to do either with full conviction.